A MAN died after his landlord hurled a brick at his head, a court heard.

Lwando Ngwane, 22, was seen arguing with George Holden outside the house they shared in London Road, Grays, just moments before Mr Holden was hit.

The blow from the brick left Mr Holden, 40, with a fractured skull, but he suffered severe facial fractures when he fell to the ground and hit his head on a kerb.

He was rushed to hospital in Kent, before being transferred to a London hospital, where he died from his head injuries eight days later.

Yesterday at Basildon Crown Court, Ngwane was jailed for 27 months after admitting man-slaughter.

Judge Phillip Clegg told him: "It was a tragic incident.

"This sentence is not intended to compensate for the loss of life but to punish for criminality, which was not that great."

Before Ngwane attacked Mr Holden - described as a "happy-go-lucky and hardworking" man who could be violent after a drink - the victim was seen grabbing hold of the defendant and headbutting him. Ngwane did not retaliate immediately, but ran into a nearby front garden where he picked up a brick and threw it at the Irish man.

Prosecutor Graham Parkins said: "There is no doubt that the victim saw that brick because he turned and ran across the road."

Mr Parkins said it was possible Mr Holden lost consciousness after being hit by the brick because he did not try to break his fall.

He also said the two pathologists who examined Mr Holden's body were unable to determine whether Ngwane's attack would have caused his death without his further injuries.

Ngwane had been due to stand trial for murder, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter.